Spring biased prop for a pivoted member

ABSTRACT

A prop which is for a pivoted member and which includes inner and outer telescopically interfitting tubular members. A helical spring fits within the tubular members. The opposite ends of the springs are fixedly anchored to the tubular members with the spring serving to urge the tubular members into an extended position when one tubular member is secured to the pivoted member and the other tubular member is secured to a base part to which the pivoted member is hinged.

[4 June 24, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Snazuk 6OFF 79 /100 6/66 962177 11 u 22 Ma .LS a we? RmDR wflmm 9w WW VJ 05935 090090 3 2 5 797 342 22333 L R m W T w 0 4 V I rd P m M a 0 an F vu l m .E, 5 R R3 P h D mm E 3 M h I V6 B R G r N B m [M n m E w SM l l 4 6 5 1 1 8/1974 Branchaid..................

[22] Filed: Oct. 11, 1973 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price 21 Appl.No.:405,254

Assistant Examiner-Allan N, Shoap Attorney, Agent, or F irmOltsch &Knoblock [52] US. 217/60 F; 16/72; 16/190;

ABSTRACT A prop which is for a pivoted member and which includes innerand outer telesco [51] Int. [58] Field of Search........... 217/60 F, 60G; 296/76, l

pica 1y interfitting tubu- 296/106; 403/166; 248/356, 354 R; 16/72, 19lar members. A helical spring fits within the tubular members. Theopposite ends of the s prings are fixedly 1 1 References C'ted anchoredto the tubular members with the spring serv- UNITED STATES PATENTS ingto urge the tubular members int 12/1916 Reese.......

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SHEET 2 WWMMMMWMMM o 1 WWW!!! MMII MMWMWWMWWMMWMMMMWM SPRING BIASED PROPson A PIVOTED MEMBER SUMMARY- OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toa prop for a pivoted'memb er and will have specific but not limitedapplication to a spring'biased prop utilized to, raiseand support a lid,

door or similar closure for a vehicle.

.The prop of this invention includes inner and outer telescopicallyintefitting tubular members each -having an outer end. A helical springfits longitudinally within the tubular members and has one end anchoredto the innertubular member and its other end anchored to theconstruction. A helical spring 24 fits within tubular outertubularmember. The tubular'members are shiftspring therein serving to bias thetubular members into their extended position. The outer ends of thetubular members-are pivotally connected between a'pivoted member and abase part to which the pivoted member is hinged. The spring within thetubular members is of sufficient strength to raise and thereafter holdthe pivoted member in an open position with the tubular members beingurged into their extended position.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a prop whichis collapsible and which is spring biased to urge a pivoted member intoa raised or upper position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible prop for adoor or window member.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an economicallyconstructed prop which is for a pivoted member, such as a door, windowor gate, and which is of reliable operation.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading ofthe inventions description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of avehicle having one embodiment of the prop of this invention connectedthereto for the purpose of supporting the rear door of the vehicle inits raised position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 showing thetruck door in its raised position in solid lines and in its closedpsoition in broken lines.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one end portion of the prop showndisconnected from the vehicle in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a detailed sectional view of that portion'of the prop enclosedin broken line 6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the prop showing the cooperatingparts thereof in modified form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodimentsillustrated are not intended to be exhaustive'or to limit the inventionto the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in orderto best explain the principles of the invention and its application andpractical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to bestutilize the invention.

The embodiment of the prop illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 is designated by thereference numeral 5 and is shown connected between a door 10 and roof 12of a cap able between retracted and extended positions with the members18 and 20 and extends longitudinally thereof. Each end of spring 24 isconnected to a tubular member 18 or 20 inwardly of its outer end 22 bymeans of a pair of opposed'tabs 26. Tabs 26 are formed in the side wall28 of each of the tubular members and are bent inwardly in an opposingrelationship into locking engagement with the coils of spring 24.

- Each end 22 of telescopic members 18 and 20 has an opening 30 formedtherein. A pair of brackets 32, each having a right angular projectingtab 34,'are provided.

'Each bracket tab 34 has a pivot pin 36 secured to it.

Each pivot pin 36 extends through opening 30 in a tubular member end 22and has a rounded head 38 which prevents separation of the connectedtubular member from the pin. Openings 30 in the outer ends 22 of thetubular members are sufficiently larger than the shank of pins 36 so asto permit, as illustrated in FIG. 5, limited twisting movement asindicated by arrow 40 and lateral pivotal movement as indicated by arrow42, as well as vertical pivotal movement of the tubular members abouttheir connecting pins 36 and relative to brackets 32.

Prop 5 is connected between door 10 and roof '12 of truck 14 by havingone bracket 32 secured to the roof and the other bracket 32 secured tothe door by screws 44. Brackets 32 are laterally spaced from hinge 16.Tubular members 18 and 20 are shiftable under the influence of spring 24from a retracted position, shown in broken lines, into an extendedposition, shown in solid lines in FIG. 2. Spring 24 is of sufficientstrength so as to enable it to extend tubular members 18 and 20 and toraise and support door 10 in its open position. When it is desired toclose door 10, the door is pushed downwardly causing spring 24 to yieldand compress and tubular members 18 and 20 to retract to permit the doorto be closed and latched. Spring 24, by being interlocked to tubularmembers 18 and 20 at its ends, prevents the tubular members frombecoming separated during use. The limited universal pivotal movement ofeach tubular member about its pivot pin 36 permits prop 5 to beinstalled between hinged members at an angle to the direction ofmovement of the hinge members. It is to be understood that in someinstallations prop 5 may be connected between the pivoted door and aside wall or similar support part instead of the roof 12 illustrated inthe drawings.

In FIG. 8, tubular members 18 and 20 are shown in circular crosssectional form as distinguished from the square cross sectional formused in the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-7.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedetails above given but may be modified tubular members, each tubularmember having an outer end, a helical spring having opposite ends andfitting longitudinally within said tubular members, means anchorine oneend of said spring to said inner tubular member inwardly from the outerend thereof, means anchoring the other end of said spring to said outertubular member inwardly from its outer end, said tubular members beingshiftable telescopically between an extended position wherein saidspring is in an expanded state and a retracted position wherein saidspring is in a compressed state, means pivotally anchoring one tubularmember outer end to said pivoted member spaced from said horizontalaxis, means pivotally anchoring the other tubular member outer end tosaid support part spaced from said horizontal axis, said springconstituting means for urging said tubular members from their retractedposition into their extended position and supporting said pivoted memberin a raised position, both said spring anchoring means constituting apair of tab parts formed in said side wall of each tubular member, eachpair of tab parts being bent into the interior of the tubular member inan opposed relationship interlocking with said spring between the turnsthereof.

2. The prop of claim 1 wherein each tubular member outer end has atransverse opening formed therein, a pivot pin extending through eachopening, a pair of brackets, a said bracket secured to each pivot pin,one bracket connected to said pivoted member, the otherbracket'connected to said support part.

3. The prop of claim 2 wherein each tubular member outer end isflattened with the transverse opening therein receiving said pivot pinin a freely fitting relationship wherein there is limited universalpivotal movement between said tubular members and their respectiveconnected brackets.

4. The prop of claim 1 wherein said support part includes a side wall,said other tubular member outer end anchored to said side wall. I

1. A prop for a pivoted member, said pivoted member being connected to asupport part by hinge means and being pivotal about a horizontal axis,said prop comprising inner and outer telescopically interfitting tubularmembers, each tubular member having an outer end, a helical springhaving opposite ends and fitting longitudinally within said tubularmembers, means anchorine one end of said spring to said inner tubularmember inwardly from the outer end thereof, means anchoring the otherend of said spring to said outer tubular member inwardly from its outerend, said tubular members being shiftable telescopically between anextended position wherein said spring is in an expanded state and aretracted position wherein said spring is in a compressed state, meanspivotally anchoring one tubular member outer end to said pivoted memberspaced from said horizontal axis, means pivotally anchoring the othertubular member outer end to said support part spaced from saidhorizontal axis, said spring constituting means for urging said tubularmembers from their retracted position into their extended position andsupporting said pivoted member in a raised position, both said springanchoring means constituting a pair of tab parts formed in said sidewall of each tubular member, each pair of tab parts being bent into theinterior of the tubular member in an opposed relationship interlockingwith said spring between the turns thereof.
 2. The prop of claim 1wherein each tubular member outer end has a transverse opening formedtherein, a pivot pin extending through each opening, a pair of brackets,a said bracket secured to each pivot pin, one bracket connected to saidpivoted member, the other bracket connected to said support part.
 3. Theprop of claim 2 wherein each tubular member outer end is flattened withthe transverse opening therein receiving said pivot pin in a freelyfitting relationship wherein there is limited universal pivotal movementbetween said tubular members and their respective connected brackets. 4.The prop of claim 1 wherein said support part includes a side wall, saidother tubular member outer end anchored to said side wall.